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8:46 a.m., April 26, 2010----Rebecca Fellin, a doctoral student in the Biomechanics and Movement Science (BIOMS) graduate program at the University of Delaware, has been awarded an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) research grant to support part of her dissertation work. She will be honored at the awards banquet at the ACSM meeting in Baltimore on Friday, June 4.

Fellin is advised by Irene Davis, professor in the Department of Physical Therapy. Her dissertation research is focused on the effect of gait retraining on external and internal lower extremity loads in runners.

“Becky is studying the internal tibial loads experienced by runners at risk for tibial stress fractures, as well as the effect of gait retraining to reduce these loads,” Davis says. “Her engineering background has provided her with a strong foundation for this research. She is combining simulation and finite element modeling with experimental data in addressing her research questions.

“The results of her work will provide important insight into the relationship between external forces and internal bony loads, as well as the direct effect of physical therapy interventions on these internal and external loads.”

Fellin earned her bachelor of science degree in biomedical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and her master's degree at UD under Davis's advisement.

ACSM is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. Through the ACSM Foundation and the Office of Research Administration and Programs, the college offers research grants to ACSM student members in a number of areas, including injury prevention, weightlessness and space physiology, exercise and aging, exercise and cardiovascular disease risk factors, and exercise and heart rate response.